Investigation of Military Spouse Suicide

Background: Recent statistics released by the Department of Defense have revealed increasing numbers of military spouse suicide. Although past qualitative research has suggested possible reasons for this phenomenon, there is a lack of wide-scale quantitative research regarding suicide within the military spouse population. To fill this gap, we aimed to examine military spouses' perceptions of suicide and their ability to access mental health care. We also aimed to explore the perceptions of sucide within various subgroups of military spouses. Materials and Methods: We recruited military spouse participants (officer and enlisted) through social media to complete a 12-item Likert survey focusing on their perception of suicide in the military spouse community, including the threat level of suicide, their own mental health status, barriers and stigmas to accessing mental health care, the view from the spouse's leadership, and the leading causes for military spouse suicide. A total of 141 military spouses participated in our study. Results: Spouses' perception of the main threats to their mental health and suicides in their community were an ongoing sense of loss of control (27.7%), loss of identity (25.5%), difficulty accessing mental health services (19.1%), and fear of seeking mental health services (10.6%). Additionally, 28.3% of participants were moderately concerned, quite concerned, or extremely concerned about their mental health. The participants also believed that the threat of suicides in their community was moderately prevalent (35.5%), quite prevalent (17.7%), and extremely prevalent (5%). There was no difference between spouses of officers or enlisted service members, spouses of service members in the Army, Navy, or Air Force on perceptions of suicide risk prevalence, stigma, participants' concern for themselves, confidence in their ability to access resources, confidence in their ability to help another spouse, or the perceived importance military leaders place on preventing suicide. Spousal tenure was similarly not significantly related to any of the variables of interest. Conclusions: Our military spouse particpants reported elevated perceptions about the prevalence of suicide threats, concern for themselves, and stigma toward accessing mental health resources, as well as low perceived importance placed on spouse suicide prevention by military leadership. The spouses reported moderate confidence in their ability to help another spouse or access suicide prevention resources. Our participants also reported challenges in accessing mental health services and perceived a stigma associated with receiving counseling services. Continued focus and advocacy is needed to ensure military spouses receive the mental health support needed to prevent suicide within this population.